"Team Fate" - Under the Hood of a Next-Gen Plug-in Hybrid

Peak Moment 114: Take a tour of a plug-in electric hybrid modification of a 1996 Mercury Sable, with UC Davis graduate students Patrick Kaufman and Bryan Jungers (interviewed in episode 113). Under the hood you'll see modifications and some interesting new components. Unlike commercial hybrids -- primarily combustion engines with an electric-motor assist -- theirs is primarily an electric vehicle with a small combustion engine to extend its range beyond the all-electric 60-70 miles. Batteries recharge in 6-8 hours with electricity costing about 75 cents per gallon of gas equivalent (2006 prices). Don't miss Janaia's first-time drive of an electric vehicle. [www.team-fate.net]

See also Episode 107, for an interview with Professor Andrew Frank, head of the UC Davis Hybrid Electric Vehicle Research Center.

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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• plug-in
• hybrids
• transportation
• efficiency
• technology

[dramaboi18]

that was not a 96'mercury sable

[scientastic]

Actually, the "power assist" they were talking about is mostly on American cars. The Prius is different. Go to around minute 18 or 19 to hear them explain it.

[scientastic]

All-electric vehicles are sustainable IF we can get enough renewable electricity. Although that is a big IF, it is worth exploring. Thin solar cells are very promising... see Nanosolar's products. They just built a 1GW/yr production plant; they claim to be able to build the cells for a cost of $0.30 per watt (peak production) and sell for $0.90 per watt. This is significantly better than current silicon-based PVs. However, that doesn't guarantee that the problem is solved; it's just a start

[stephenantonyhanson]

Hybrid cars are just a form of business as usual, 30 years ago they would have made the difference but now they are just too late.

Go back to promoting the truth about our future, in which energy consuming personal vehicles do not figure for the every day man. The age of conspicuous consumption is at an end, it's our responsibility to shape that future for a positive transition.

If we don't change direction we will end up where we are going.

[valhala56]

Well they told me something I didn't know,The Prius has a small electic motor and is really a "power assist" not a true 1/2 and 1/2 hybrid. Toyota you BS'rs

[grundigmonolith]

God!!! I respect you guys but that interviewer is terrible. Make your own videos from now on and I think the public will be more clearly informed

[bluzy25]

is it really that hard to figure out!

[dugfriendly]

Interesting. What kind of energy are we talking about to produce the new fleet of vehicles that the world would use?